The Ohio State Buckeyes are coming off one of the worst defeats in the Urban Meyer Era. The loss at the hands of Clemson was one of the worst offensive displays in recent memory, dating back to 2011, when Ohio State finished 6-7 and it proved that wholesale changes needed to be made on the offensive side of the ball.

Coach Meyer made the necessary changes during the off season bringing in a new Offensive Coordinator Kevin Wilson and Quarterbacks Coach Ryan Day, and collectively his squad will be looking to improve the passing game and bring back the sizzle to the Buckeye offense. The offense will need to maintain a balance between the passing and the ground game to secure another playoff berth in the 2017 season.

The goal is set firmly in place, but the Buckeyes will have to traverse through a perilous road to secure another coveted spot in this years College Football Playoffs. The goal will be attainable because 7 of the 12 games will be played at home and the home field advantage in The Shoe, helps the Buckeyes chances. Unfortunately, 5 of the 12 games are going to be played away from home, far from the confines of Ohio Stadium.

According to Alexander P., odds maker at mytopsportsbooks.com, “Ohio State is the modest favorite to win the Big Ten despite losing three first-round talents to the NFL. While they have a tough schedule ahead, the fact that they get to host Penn State and Oklahoma is a massive advantage. Their toughest road game is against a Michigan team that’s arguably losing even more key pieces. The Buckeyes should be good for ten wins, if not more.”

It’s the 7 of 12 games on this season’s schedule that can shift the Buckeyes from being modest favorites, however. They’ll be taking place at home, at The Shoe. Home field advantage definitely helps the Buckeyes, but they will still be tested during those games.

The big games on the home slate will begin with a tilt with the Sooners. Oklahoma will come into town in week 2 looking for some revenge after the Buckeyes came to Norman and embarrassed them. The Buckeyes will welcome Penn State in week 9 to get some payback after they fell in Happy Valley a season ago. In week 11, Michigan State will visit after a down year to potentially spoil season for the Buckeyes.

This years non-conference home games providea decent level competition as well, with Army being the most dangerous of the bunch. Army finished 8-5 and they run the triple option, which will test the Buckeyes Defense. UNLV will be coming in after a down year, after they finished 4-8.

The Buckeyes will also welcome two up-and coming conference foes in Maryland and Illinois to The Shoe. Both coaches are looking for their signature wins, and what better opportunity that spoiling the Buckeyes chances at the Playoffs?

D.J. Durkin worked under Meyer at Florida before taking a job at Michigan over Ohio State. Lovie Smith has the NFL Head Coaching experience that could turn the program around. So the Buckeyes shouldn’t take these two teams lightly.

5 of the 12 games will be played away from home and at hostile stadiums across Big Ten country. The Buckeyes open the new season against an Indiana team that always gives the defense headaches. The kicker is the offensive genius in Kevin Wilson does not lead that program anymore and he now calls the shots on offense for the Buckeyes.

From there, the Buckeyes will face off against another former coach in Chris Ash. He is looking to resurrect a Rutgers program and will look for improvement in year 2 as the Head Coach.

The most intriguing away game will be played at Lincoln against Nebraska due to the heated Wide Receiver battles that both position coaches engage in on the recruiting trail. They constantly butt heads and it often ends with fireworks and subtweets between the two.

The Buckeyes will then travel to Kinnick Stadium for a gritty, Big Ten style game. The battles in recent memory have been low scoring affairs, and it will be interesting to see how they rebound after falling apart toward the end of last season.

The Buckeyes will cap their season off with a stopover at the Big House to engage in another installment of The Game. With both teams suffering losses to the NFL Draft and with graduations, this will be fascinating as new pieces will face off in another high-stakes game for all the marbles. The road to the Playoffs will run through The Big House and this clash will not disappoint.

The expectation is clear at Ohio State, but with key starters returning for redemption, the Buckeyes will look to build something special this year and for years to come. J.T. Barrett returns to lead the team in his last season to rebound after the Fiesta Bowl. He will have new pieces to play around and with new coaches on the staff, there is no reason to think good things are on their way.

Ohio State is has one of the deepest teams in recent memory and they certainly reload year after year, before and after the draft. The players on the two-deep projections and beyond can play anywhere in the nation as they anxiously await for their shot. They remaining players from last season are battle-tested and they will look to lead their younger teammates and their new starters.

The road will most certainly not be easy, but the overall schedule favors Ohio State with the majority of their games being played at home. The rest of the Big Ten however, will not cooperate and they will try to play spoiler to ruin another shot at a title for Coach Meyer and his squad, and they most certainly will not go out quietly.

For more content or information on the projected Win/Loss total for every Big Ten Team please visit the link below:

Noah Brown, WR (Dallas Cowboys):

Noah Brown was the first Buckeye taken on Day 3 of the draft, and better late than never. At 6’2″, 222-pounds, Brown is an imposing Wide Receiver with the size to bully the smaller Defensive Backs and box them out for the football. He couldn’t have gone to a better team, and he joins fellow Buckeye Ezekiel Elliot in Dallas. Brown has Dez Bryant and Cole Beasley to work with and he will compete with the rest of the receiving group for reps and a roster spot. During the 2016 season, Brown was used heavily early on in the year, but the lack of creativity in playcalling derailed his once promising season. In the Oklahoma game, Brown was the go-to guy and he bullied his way to a stellar 4 touchdown game at Norman, Oklahoma. He made highlight reel catches early and often and he gave the Sooner Defense fits. After that however, his usage declined with a combination of poor line play and playcalling on offense. He was underutilized and could have used another year in college, as he left for the NFL and caught the team unexpectedly. Brown is a project, but he has the skills to flourish in Dallas’ offense. He has a few injury concerns, but he should be in good hands.

Curtis Samuel, WR (Carolina Panthers):

Curtis Samuel was the first Buckeye that was taken on Day 2 of the 2017 Draft, being selected with the 40th overall pick by the Panthers. The Panthers have spent picks on back to back offensive studs due to the losses of Ohio State Alums Ted Ginn and Corey Brown during free agency. With Samuel the Panthers will be getting a playmaker just like McCaffery who can play multiple positions. Both players have the speed and they will help Cam Newton give opposing teams defenses fits. Samuel will be used early and he will work in the slot, and he may see some time at Running Back. Samuel is 5’11” and 196-pounds and turned in a 4.31 40-time in the combine. His measurable and his talent will be utilized to spread the opposing defenses and keeping them honest during games. He will share time with McCaffrey, but I feel like Ron Rivera will give both draftees ample opportunities to shine.

Raekwon McMillan, ILB (Miami Dolphins):

Raekwon McMillan, a recruit out of the Peach State was the second Buckeye taken in Round 2. At 6’2″, 240 pounds he is the motor that was in charge of the Buckeye defense the last two and a half seasons. He has the speed and the leadership abilities that will continue to flourish at the next level. He is viewed as a 3 down linebacker and he must show development to see some playing time this fall. McMillan is the first Inside Linebacker taken over Vanderbilt’s own Zach Cunningham, and he will be behind newly acquired addition Lawrence Timmons and Kiko Alonso, who re-signed with the team this offseason. Behind both of them McMillan will have the time to develop under Timmons, who arrived after time in Pittsburg and Alonso, who was still hasn’t established himself in the league yet. McMillan’s only concern is in coverage, but he is a sure-tackler, who can stuff the run when called to. He can become great with some time, so I can see him as a back-up for now, but he can flourish with the right coaches in place.

Pat Elflein, C (Minnesota Vikings):

Pat Elflein was the Swiss Army Knife out of Ohio State who can play multiple positions along the Offensive Line. During the Ohio State Championship year Elflein began at Guard and then the following season he seamlessly switched to Center, where he earned the award for the Top Interior Lineman Award in his last season at Ohio State. At 6’3″, 303-pounds he will compete with the likes of Joe Berger and Nick Easton for the starting Center gig in Minnesota. If he cannot beat out the others at Center, Elflein can compete for the starting job at Guard opposite of former Ohio State Alum Alex Boone. The Vikings have another Guard in waiting and all Elflein needs is an opportunity to play and earn playing time. The Vikings drafted Dalvin Cook in the Second round and he will look to Elflein to block for the fellow rookie in the upcoming season. Elflein is a tireless blocker that almost always finishes until the whistle is blown. There are questions about his overall strength, but with an NFL Caliber strength and conditioning program, he will improve.

The Ohio State Buckeyes have been churning out talented prospects since Coach Meyer’s arrival in Columbus. For the last five years, Ohio State has been a force both on the recruiting trail and they have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to depth and talent. Meyer and company develop NFL caliber players and then reload once their star players leave to the next level. This is an impressive feat as another group of talented prospects, three to be exact, have gone in Round 1 of the draft. There are a few more Buckeyes that will hear their names called, but for now, let us see who was taken and by who.

Marshon Lattimore, CB (New Orleans Saints):

Lattimore has one year of full-time starter duties, but he made the best of it turning out a successful campaign as a starter. It was a long time coming, but he persevered and showed his talent. The Saints took Lattimore with the 11th Overall pick and they were in need of help at the Cornerback Position. The Saints went Buckeye last year with Vonn Bell and Michael Thomas, and Lattimore will have some familiar faces on the roster. Lattimore is an ultra-talented corner with the speed and technique to succeed. He will most likely see some early playing time due to the lack of talent on the roster.

Malik Hooker, S (Indianapolis Colts):

Malik Hooker played Safety at Ohio State and is also another one-year starter who flourished during his lone season as a starter. Hooker almost left as he sat impatiently behind Vonn Bell, but all things come with time. Hooker has the ball hawking ability to get takeaways and the range to break up passes. After the loss of Mike Adams, the Colts needed someone to take his place and with Hooker they have a playmaker who can be a game-breaker on defense. During the draft process, Hooker was often compared to former Baltimore Raven great Ed Reed. Interesting pick to say the least and as the second Safety taken, he will also most likely start from day 1 barring any unforeseen injuries.

Gareon Conley, CB (Oakland Raiders):

Gareon Conley, a two-year starter at Ohio State is another long and athletic Cornerback, that played under Coach Meyer and company. Less than a week prior to the draft allegations of a rape were made, and his draft stock took a major hit, a near death blow that forced teams to pass on him. Now that he has been drafted, he will have to work harder than ever because of this impending investigation. He is another athletic and talented corner with good technique. He will start guarding the slot until he proves that he can start for the Raiders. The Raiders believed in him enough to take the chance on him, all we can do is wait and see.

Our Jacob Seymour offers up a mock draft that suggests the QB class is not as highly valued as some suggest. This of course reflects the futility of predicting trades.

1. Cleveland Browns: Myles Garret, DL, Texas A&M. Best player in the draft fills a need for the Browns

2. San Francisco 49ers: Marshon Lattimore, DB, Ohio State. Best DB prospect gives the 49ers a place to start rebuilding. Fournette could go here, but the OL is good enough to select a RB at #2

3. Chicago Bears: Malik Hooker, DB, Ohio State. Bears need playmakers in the secondary and they get the best play making safety since Ed Reed.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU. Blake Bortles needs a run game to help open up the pass game.

5. Tennessee Titans: Mike Williams, WR, Clemson. Best WR prospect, he proved how good he is against OSU and Bama. Mariotta needs a #1 WR.

6. New York Jets: Jamal Adams, DB, LSU. The Jets need talent and Adams is a complete safety. He will allow the Jets to do different things in the back end

7. Los Angeles Chargers: Solomon Thomas, DL, Stanford. Chargers go best player available. Bosa and Thomas will be a scary future for opponents

8. Carolina Panthers: Christian Mccaffery, RB, Stanford. His versatility allows the Panthers to fill the holes they have in the offense.

9. Cincinnati Bengals: Johnathan Allen, DL, Alabama. Rumors of his shoulder injuries is what causes him to drop. With the Bengals talent he is worth the risk.

10. Buffalo Bills: John Ross, WR, Washington. This will be the surprise of the draft. Watkins has proven to be unreliable when it comes to staying healthy. That forces the Bills to try and find another playmaker

11. New Orleans Saints: OJ Howard, TE, Alabama. Howard is a Top 5 talent. Though, it is to hard to justify drafting a TE that high. The Saints offense has shown how hard life has been without Jimmy Graham.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State. Another Top 10 player with character issues. The Bucs lost out on the Adrian Peterson sweepstakes and look to give Winston some help.

20. Denver Broncos: Cam Robinson, OL, Alabama. While he started at Alabama for 3 years on the left side. The right side is where he belongs in the NFL. The Broncos need more help than anyone can imagine on the OL.

21. Detroit Lions: David Nkoku, TE, Miami. Add another surprise in the first round. The Lions personnel has New England ties. We all know how deadly the Pats offense is with 2 TE’s. The Lions look to duplicate that.

22. Miami Dolphins: Forrest Lamp, OL, Western Kentucky. The Dolphins will look to move Tunsil to OT and that opens a spot and a need at OG.

23. New York Giants: Garrett Bolles, OL, Utah. The Giants need to move Flowers over to RT. Bolles has the ability to be a good LT in the NFL.

24. Oakland Raiders: Kevin King, DB, Washington. The Raiders gave up a lot of big plays in the passing game last year. With King’s size and speed. The Raiders look to limit those kind of plays.

25. Houston Texans: Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina. I feel Trubusky is better than any QB on the Texans roster right now. So whatever they get out of him will only increase their playoff chances.

26. Seattle Seahawks: Adoree Jackson, DB, USC. The Seahawks need depth in the secondary. Having Jackson and Lockett would give the Seahawks great flexibility in the return game. This will maybe allow Lockett to focus on his WR skills.

27. Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech. I believe that Mahomes will be the second QB off the board. I feel his skill set is exactly what Andy Reid wants. He has a quick, but funky, release. He is athletic and can make the throws in the West Coast offense.

29. Green Bay Packers: Marlon Humphrey, DB, Alabama. The Packers will take the best DB available,. After last season’s crazy injury bug in the secondary. Would not be surprised if they hold open tryouts just to get bodies back there.

30. Pittsburgh Steelers: DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame. Kizer is Big Ben, but 2 inches shorter. Putting him in a stable environment and culture will help minimize his character issues.

31. Atlanta Falcons: Quincy Wilson, DB, Florida. DB is a deep position this year. After they let the Pats throw wild on them in the Super Bowl the Falcons will add depth in the secondary.

32. New Orleans Saints: Takkarist McKinley, LB, UCLA. The Saints will look to add to their pass rush after going offense with their second pick. In a division with Cam, Ryan, and Winston. You need all the pass rushers you can get.

The spectacle of the Ohio State Spring Game is upon us. This is one of the biggest offseason events that the Buckeyes host and this year will be no different. With many blue-chip recruits of all ranks, the Buckeyes will look to rise up in the rankings with a great showing, that is looking like it won’t disappoint.

*** The storylines will feature a brand new Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach in Kevin Wilson and Ryan Day, it will return a good amount of starters from last season with J.T. Barrett on offense and the majority of the Defensive Lineman. The inexperience and the lack of creativity and variety was a problem, but with a few old pieces in places and some new faces on the coaching staff, this makes for another intriguing storyline to follow. Look for a more improved offense that will tire out the defense with their upgraded tempo. Will they find their next version of Curtis Samuel? Will they find their next Devin Smith, Braxton Miller or Mike Thomas?

*** Zach Smith and Tony Alford will be tasked with providing playmakers and balance for the Buckeyes offense with members of their respective units. Will Coach Smith find the next stars for his unit? He needs Zone 6 to produce another playmaker and establish his role in the offense. The Buckeyes will have the talent, but can they find the playmakers to follow what Mike Thomas, Devin Smith, and Braxton Miller have built? Will Coach Alford they find their next version of Curtis Samuel or the next Ezekiel Elliott? He has Mike Weber, who acted as their workhorse, but will Antonio Williams and J.K Dobbins step up? Or can walk-on Jerimiah Knight carve out a steady role for himself?

*** Look for new Linebackers Coach Bill Davis to find his niche from within the Schiano captained defense. He took over for Luke Fickell and he looks to use his extensive NFL coaching experiences to bridge the gap left by Fickell. He lost Raekwon McMillan, but he retained Chris Worley, who is now the starter at the Mike spot, Dante Booker, who is coming off of an injury-plagued season and Jerome Baker, who had a coming out party last season. He also has a lot of talented personnel waiting for their chance to reload the Buckeyes.

*** Coach Schiano and Coach Coombs will have the task of rebuilding the Scarlet Curtain or B.I.A., the Best In America. Three of their starters, Malik Hooker, Garon Conley and Marshon Lattimore left for the NFL, leaving only Damon Webb as the only returning starter. The Buckeyes signed five talented DB’s during NSD and they will look to make an immediate impact or contribution to the lack of established starters.

*** Last, but not least, the recruiting aspect for this game will be one of great importance. Many blue-chippers will come to see if their prospective unit succeeds or what improvements have been made. The potential of someone pledging their allegiance to the Buckeyes are good, but only time will tell. Both the offense and the defense need to put on a show, and with a few Buckeye commits present, you really never know what could occur.

*** P.S. The BTN chose to air the Ohio State Spring Game over TTUN’s. Lol!

Cameron Johnston took over punting duties for Ohio State and he was quite the weapon. Johnston hails from Australia and he turned out the be a dependable weapon during special teams with his patented directional and rugby punts. He has the ability to shift field position and put opposing teams in a bind, with little to no room. Johnston averaged 46.7 yards per kick in 2016 and he was second in the nation as he averaged 43.9 net yards. He also has wheels. He ran a 4.92 on the 40-yard dash and that could be another weapon, if he is willing to stick his nose out during special teams opportunities. Johnston is destined to go in either day 3 or go undrafted. Maybe he will be the next undrafted special teams ace thta makes it in the big leagues.

Noah Brown blew up against Oklahoma, showcasing his ability to out-muscle opposing DB’s. He showed the ability to separate and high point the ball over unsuspecting defenders. It was certainly a shock for him to leave, but he has the size and the speed to make it if a team takes a chance on him in this year’s draft. Brown is 6’2″, 222 lbs. and he can be a monster, and has the ability to take over during games. Brown is susceptable to the injury bug and two seasons ago, he broke his leg, which caused him to redshirt that year. Last season, he was the featured peice, but then the gameplans moved away from him as the season progressed. He has some film, but he doesn’t, but he is an intriguing prospect due to his measurables. He is projected to go as early as day 2 of the draft, but he is more likely going to be taken sometime in day 3. He may follow Jailin Marshall and end up being an undrafted free agent, but who knows, the draft tends to be unpredictable.

Pat Elflein has been an anchor on the Buckeye Offensive Line for the past few seasons. He has the talent to plug into either Offensive Guard spots and he can also be effective as a Center. At 6’3″, 303 lbs. Elflein, last seasons Rimington winner will be a valuable commodity for a Offensive Line needy team in the NFL. Although a tad bit inconsistent with his strentgh, his effort level and his dedication to his craft are traits that most teams covet. He needs to improve his strength, but his experience as a wrestler would help him when placed in the game. Versatility is the name of the game and Elflein is a proven asset at Guard and at Center. He is projected to go in the 2nd Round.

Game Day is here and with hours in between kickoff, I will ease my anxiety with doing one last article before the recap. In roughly 9 hours, the game will begin and I will take the time to talk about the matchups within the game because there are many juicy matchups between each unit for both teams. The magnifying glass will be placed on each of those units, regardless of which team wins out, in the end, this game will be used to analyze talent on both teams that are potential NFL Draft prospects if they declare either after or before the game. This game is viewed as the game to watch because the last team both of these teams met in the Orange Bowl two years ago, it was a shootout. This year looks to follow suit with a potent offense versus a stellar defense. Clemson’s Offense is lethal and Ohio State’s Defense is suffocating and this is guaranteed to impress no matter who wins and who loses.

Friends Turned Foes:

Urban Meyer and Dabo Swinney share a bond as they both grew as coaches. Coach Meyer has the edge with multiple championships and one of them came at the expense of his current team when he coached up at Florida. Coach Swinney on the other hand built Clemson into the monster that they are currently, and he is looking for another shot to prove his worth as a coach and as a team. Coach Swinney was playful during media day as he playfully mentioned Meyer’s book, constantly mentioning excerpts when given the chance. Coach Meyer on the other hand was dialed in and seemed distant and focused on the task at hand. Clemson dished Meyer one of the 5 losses during his tenure at Ohio State. He gave Meyer his first consecutive loss streak, after Meyer and the Buckeyes fell short in the Big Ten Championship Game. Is Meyer plotting his revenge? Will he have something in store for them? The doubters, who are assuming that Clemson will move on with little to no challenge from the Buckeyes? The mental chess match between Meyer and Swinney began when the Playoff field was announced. This is one of the friends turned foes battles.

J.T. Barrett versus Deshaun Watson will be the other friend versus foe matchup to focus your attention on. Barrett and Watson were good friends when they both served as counselors for an elite passing Camp. Their relationship has blossomed since as they shared the “see you in Arizona” pleasantries when discovering that their teams will go up against one another. This will be Watson’s pass-happy attack versus Barrett’s run heavy offense. Both Quarterbacks aren’t talking and both don’t have to with the body of work that they have created with their respective teams. Both teams will play fast and hard, both teams will be prepared for the kitchen sink at each other, both teams will ride the wave with their Quarterback. Both players are proven winners and they will look to display their value on the field.

Trench Wars:

The battle in the trenches will be another factor in the game. Ohio State has three new starters on the Offensive Line with Junior Jamarco Jones, True Freshman Michael Jordan and Sophomore Isaiah Prince, who has been the chink in the Slobs’ armor at Right Tackle. Prince will be the crux of if Ohio State is productive on offense and Jordan will also be tested early and often. Prince will face star Defensive Lineman and former Ohio State target, Christian Wilkins and Jordan faces another beast lineman and another former target, Dexter Lawrence. Wilkins is a quick twitch lineman, who flashes the speed and burst to blow past linemen and Lawrence has the bulk and outweighs all the Slobs at 340 lbs. He will be used to take double-teams to free up his companions. He is also a bully in the interior and the leaders for the Slobs will be tested and busy the entire game. Pat Elflein and Billy Price will look to stop the bleeding attempting to keep Barrett upright and untouched. It is easier said than done with the talent on Clemson’s D-Line.

Clemson’s has a stout Offensive Line and they are beyond beefed up as they average 310 lbs on every position with their Right Guard being the heaviest at 340 lbs. The Rushmen will face their toughest challenge of the year trying to reach Deshaun Watson in the backfield. Clemson boasts a Left Tackle and former Ohio State targer, Mitch Hyatt who has allowed one sack in his tenure at Clemson. This matchup will be another factor as the battle in the trenches looks to become another tough, but exciting matchup for both teams. The trench wars will be one of the highlights and the main attraction of the game due to Ohio State’s inability to protect the line line of scrimmage. With Prince struggling mightily, will he finally earn his star in College Football circles? Or will he fail once again? You will never know until the first couple of drives but it very intriguing and my heart hurts just thinking about what could go wrong and what could potentially happen.

Explosive Offense VS Stingy Defense:

Ohio State has one of the best secondaries in College Football and they will be needed to stop Clemson’s explosive offense. Ohio State has playmakers at every level on the defense and Clemson does too, but players like Malik Hooker is a scoring threat with Conley and Lattimore locking down their receivers. The explosive offense will be a problem as well because Clemson, like Ohio State has playmakers on offense, who can break the game wide open for Watson. This matchup focuses on WR’s Mike Williams, Artavis Scott, Hunter Renfrow, TE Jordan Leggett and RB Wayne Gallman matching up against Gareon Conley, Marshon Lattimore, Damon Arenette, Denzel Ward, Damon Webb and Malik Hooker. This will be another exciting matchup between a suffocating defense versus and crazy good offense. If this doesn’t get you as excited and paranoid as I currently am, you might be dead. Get a pulse because this could be the matchup that could decide who advances to the big dance. Ohio State collects athlete’s and playmakers, who add a different element to the defense. Their secondary is one of the best in taking the ball away and turning it into points. The Buckeyes have 7 TD’s for points and Hooker has 3 of them. Turnover’s will be key in this contest that could go either way.

Clemson initially opened up as a three point underdog, even as the higher seed. They feel slighted and they should because their playmakers will look to do some damage on the vaunted Ohio State Secondary who is known to shift the momentum during close games. Mike Williams is a dog and a playmaker who can also shift games in their favor. The rest of the playmakers who start and a few of their key reserves would also do the same. It is just a matter of protecting the ball and their Quarterback. It is a strength versus strength battle with both teams as they both look to advance forward. This will not be a cakewalk for either team. Ohio State’s Secondary will be one of the best that they have seen so far this season and likewise with Clemson’s Offense. Clemson will be the best offense that they have faced this season because the depth and talent at every position. This will be crazy to see both squads fighting to advance into the Championship Game. Talent versus talent for the glory.

The Ohio State Offense will lean on Curtis Samuel and the rest of Zone 6 to produce. Zone 6 has struggled mightily to get separation during games and that is one reason why J.T. Barrett’s production has been lacking a reliable and consistent receiving threat outside of Samuel. This will be an interesting factor and the pundits are expecting Clemson to put this one out of reach early, with no one giving the Buckeyes a shot with their lack of a passing threat. It is true that he hasn’t been required to throw it downfield, but when the running is so effective, why change what works. The Clemson Defense will key in on this fact as they look to shut down Ohio State’s run game early. The production for Mike Weber and friends, and Samuel will be needed to pull this one out. One of the Zone 6 members or a couple of them need to show their talent in order to win out. Binjimen Victor, K.J. Hill, Dontre Wilson, Parris Campbell and Marcus Baugh will be needed, badly.

On the other end, the Clemson Secondary will be leaned on to keep the Buckeyes contained. If Gallman struggles, then it’ll be a defensive battle and both teams are pretty good on offense and defense, it is just a matter of opportunity to make plays. That is all you could ask for. Both teams will look to cancel each other out and this will be the epic battle of the century. The strengths and weaknesses are obvious and well documented and it is up to every unit to produce or make play when needed to. This will be a crazy game filled with many momentum swings and it will be a good one. Everyone will be glued to their seats as we watch how the game unfolds. Are we in store for a blowout or another overtime dance with another well-coached contender. Who knows, but we will find out in a couple of hours.

Conclusion:

So to conclude, this will be a fight from beginning to end. Both teams will swing for the fences for a chance at the title. Everything will be left out on the field after this one. One team will advance and the other will face their end to a magical season. For my prediction, I have Ohio State advancing after a hard fought victory. It will come down to the wire, whether in overtime or at the ending seconds of the game. This will be a defensive struggle with both teams struggling to get things going. Barrett does it again, 31-34 Buckeyes. The a member of the Ohio State Defense will turn the tide on a turnover. I don’t know who it’ll be and Clemson will be paying attention to where Hooker is lurking, essentially avoiding him. My guess is McMillan or Baker wreak havoc and Nick Bosa has a game in the Rushmen Package. A shootout will happen. Go Bucks!!!